Kansas needs illegal immigrants
Yael T. AbouhalkahKansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and others like to pontificate about the evils of illegal immigration.
But it turns out these politicians are missing a key point: Kansas needs illegal immigrants.
Specifically, the state’s dairies and feedlots are begging Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman to make it possible for them to hire illegal immigrants.
Rodman says he is seeking a federal waiver from the Department of Homeland Security to make that possible.
Ah, the irony.
In a state where top elected officials seem bent on making illegal immigrants into evil people, the real world is saying something else: We don’t have enough workers to do the jobs that produce large profits for agricultural entities in Kansas. So we need the ability to hire dependable illegal immigrants to do some of those jobs.
Illegal immigrants often do the jobs that other people won’t. It appears some Kansas businesses realize that and are willing to forget all that hoopla about the supposed evils of these people and give them a job. It’s all about making money, and illegal immigrants will help them do just that.
Here’s a quotation you know just grates on Kobach and others in the anti-illegal immigration movement:
“I need a waiver,” Rodman told a reporter. “It would be good for Kansas agriculture.”
JR Beillenhouser
1 year, 3 months agoIt is very simple actually. Have a guest worker program.
Additionally, logic says that this will change eventually. It is only a matter of time before someone crosses the border and commits an act of terrorism that will force the borders to be locked tight. Oh, and when that does happen, we are all going to remember you nutjobs and your open border stance.
Matt Henry
1 year, 3 months agoSure, why not! Let’s keep ‘em illegal so our good Kansas farmers can continue to pay sub-market wages with no protections or benefits so that we can continue to pump cheaper, government subsidized ethanol into our priuses! What a great idea!
It’s amazing that when it comes to hiring illegals at near slave wages that we totally understand the big businessman who is trying to make more money on the backs of the poor. I guess the feel-good backing of illegal immigration is higher on the left-wing totem pole and takes precedence over workers’ rights and protections. Good thing there isn’t an illegal market for teachers and city / state workers or the Wisconsin liberals would really be tied up in knots. Where’s all the living wage nonsense I hear so much about or the “fair trade” fairs where people pay more for stuff as a way to feel better about themselves?
I can’t believe I have to defend being “anti-illegal” anything.
Ray Parker
Overland Park
1 year, 3 months agoIt seems that some scammer has been selling the idea that it’s extremely hard to get real American citizens to take paying jobs at dairies and feedlots, that those jobs need to be quickly handed over to illegal aliens with falsified social security numbers and fake driver’s licenses. So what are the consequences if real American citizens get incentives like some moving expenses or help with temporary housing to relocate to western Kansas and take the dairy and feedlot jobs - we pay a nickel more for a pound of hamburger or a quart of milk? OK. No jobs for illegal aliens. Build the dang fence. Run ‘em out. And fire Secretary Rodman.
Kent Mueller
1 year, 3 months agoYael, speaking of illegal immigration, wasn’t it the Governor of Arizona that you described as “odd”, without any explanation as to why she is “odd”?
However, I’m sure that is the female you branded as “uppity” when she didn’t cower away from criticism delivered by a male.
And before anyone misconstrues that as racist, it isn’t!! Although uppity is normally considered sexist when uttered by a conservative.
Mark Hastert
1 year, 3 months agoWhat a hoot! we want ‘em we don’t want ‘em. I geuss if there’s a buck to be made we want ‘em.
Steven Fetter
66223
1 year, 3 months agoA little off topic, but the comment “I need a waiver” must surely grate the President and Sec Health Sebelius.
One man’s exemption is another man’s needs.
Also, Obama is making a routine of upbraiding women on airport tarmacs. Please Google “Hillary Obama tarmac” for another finger pointing episode.
Ken Dreger
1 year, 3 months agoOPINION-What an obscured statement! Kansas needs Illegal Alians for Cheap labor like the South needed Slaves to work the cotton fields! Wake up Farmers! You need to pay decent living wages to Americans, or mechanize your farms so they require less manual effort, thus keeping your costs down to market your product! YOU DON’T need Illegal Aliens working in your fields Just like the South didn’t need Slaves. Americans want these jobs, you just need to step up to the plate and make them available, I will pay more for your product if you give the jobs to Americans, Or maybe we can just take away all the Federal, state & local bennies you get and see how you like that. It is 2012 Farmers & Growers, not 1812!
Bill Mccwiliams
1 year, 3 months agoYael is right, who is going to take care of all the lawns in the Golden Ghetto of JoCo.
Michael Middleton
1 year, 3 months agoWhat a moron. We need to sanction illegal immmigrants so we can support them with our tax money,while the employers pay them substandard wages to do back breaking work with no benefits. That’s the premise of this argument? That’s it. This country is officially insane.
Joel Wischkaemper
1 year, 3 months agoThere are a lot of very crummy employers and business men out there, and and in order to survive, they have to pay …. someone…. less than minimum wage. Illegal aliens have been ‘it’ for a long time I gather. But that didn’t make it right.. it just made it stupid.
Lets allow them to use State Prisoner to harvest the milk. THAT would solve two problems with one job!
Gene Ralno
1 year, 3 months agoBig irony. I was gonna’ comment on how moronic this editorial is but it looks like Kansas readers are waking up. Seems they now realize he’s just another smelly socialist bent on pushing his anti-enterprise agenda. When the farmers wake up and pay competitive wages, this problem and the Star’s agenda will vanish. Don’t hold your breath.
Dave Francis
1 year, 3 months agoPRESIDENT OBAMA IS IGNORING CONGRESSIONAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT LAWS.
It’s my hope that Mitt Romney sticks to his guns, should he gain acceptance by the voters for president? Any time before the presidential election, whether Gubernatorial, State, County or local election, without revising of federal election laws every citizen-voter must be committed to fighting voter fraud. Do not believe that voter fraud is not proliferating across the country, as Democratic appointed ACORN has shown otherwise? The Left will do anything to implode any of the Republican chances of winning the presidency, including the backing of illegal registrations of non citizens voting. Be alarmed, because there is every possibility of forged absentee ballots or even non-citizens filling in registrations. All candidates whether Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul need to be aware of the vicious other side who don’t play fair? Mitt Romney has one of NumbersUSA strongest grades for his immigration record, so any candidate must be held accountable for their promises to the American people.
Neither political party is exempt from the massive illegal immigration problem, which has magnified over time? Every promise to enforce our immigration laws has been undone, beginning with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA). It was enacted to fail, because it would be detrimental to incorrigible businesses for low-priced labor and the Democrats hoped to overpower the GOP will votes—LEGAL AND ILLEGAL. It has been foolhardy to trust the majority of those in power in Congress. It is only since the positive manifestation of the American People’s Party, known only too well as THE TEA PARTY, that the legal residents of this nation have found trust. Since the inception of the TEA PARTY, the old “Quid Pro Quo” is starting to fade and leave office. They no longer can command the underhand laws they have passed, as the majority of the people want immigration laws enforced and not determined by selling favors to special interest lobbyists, for special bills to be passed? It’s inevitable a few TEA PARTY leaders will fall beside the wayside, as corruption has its abundance in Washington; they will be watched and not reelected.
Virginia Stuhr
1 year, 3 months agoYael, you are right on. The economy in southwest Kansas is dependent upon these workers and entrepreneurs. Hispanics are hard workers. Becoming a citizen takes a long difficult six years. For more information, see the January and February issues of Kansas Farmer.
Virginia Stuhr